Interested in pursuing a career in VO? Curious what goes on behind the scenes in a business where people talk funny for money? This book offers a fun and comprehensive look at what it takes, what goes on and what it’s like behind the mic from two working pros who started from scratch.

Voice Over Actors: Be Willing to Play!

When it comes right down to it, we do this – voice acting – because it’s fun, because we get to play. But sometimes we can forget that. Remember to have fun, be personable, and enjoy what you do.

Fact #1: people like working with people who are having a good time doing what they do. We mentioned being flexible when we talked about being prepared. Showing that you are willing to play and experiment lets everybody know that you will be a positive force on the creative team. And that you play well with others.

Fact #2: people like working with those who don’t take themselves too seriously (see earlier note about not being a jerk). There is, of course, a line which should not be crossed; nobody likes working with someone who is always goofing off or being a little too creative with the script. But you’ll get the feel for it; don’t worry.

The focus of this book is the actor. However, don’t let this mislead you. The actor is only one piece of the puzzle. Acting is a profession in which teamwork or group effort is definitely key. In order for an actor to perform even the most basic of jobs, a number of different people must be involved as well: writers, producers, directors, engineers, editors, technicians, designers, and developers, to name just a few (and that’s not even counting the audience). So, always remember that you are a part of a fantastic and exciting team.

At the end of the day, when people have to make casting choices, there are a lot of things that come into play. Partly it is a matter of them thinking, Can this person get the job done, partly, How much time/cost will we incur by having this person do the job, and maybe most importantly, What will it be like having to spend a lot of time working with this person? Be a person everyone will want to spend their time with.